Food: Eclectic, upscale comfort food.
Vibe: Playfully hip and energetic.
Order this: The “Big Milk” burger with American cheese, pickles, special sauce and house-cut fries.
Know this: The iconic black Manhattan is one of the sexiest drinks in the city.
Average Price: $17 (small plates), $32 (large plates).
This eclectic restaurant serving modern comfort food is a perennial list-maker, and it feels as fresh today as it did when it opened in 2011 thanks to its commitment to creativity with a continually evolving menu. There are small plates, such as beets with pistachio cream, tarragon and dried figs; and large-plate dishes, including a platter of fried chicken. And there are entrees, like the Manitoba walleye with peanut curry, charred leeks, dried shrimp and herbs, which you can share or not. On select Sunday nights, Model Milk hosts a Sunday supper, which is three courses served family-style that allows the chef to flex his creative culinary muscle.
The multi-level space was once a 1930s dairy (of the same name), and the interior — designed by Frank Architecture & Interiors — honours the building’s industrial history with exposed brick walls, a concrete floor, steel beams and playful touches like chandeliers made from milk bottles.
308 17 Ave. S.W., 403-265-7343, modelmilk.ca